Car Accidents Involving Pedestrians

A pedestrian hit by a car can suffer very serious injuries. It is not always clear who is at fault in a car and pedestrian collision. It is possible in some cases that a pedestrian would be at fault where the person leaves the cross-walk, or crosses a road illegally or walks out of a blind spot like between parked cars. On the other hand, a motorist may be at fault because of speeding, drinking and driving, texting and driving or not recognizing a stop sign or stop light.

There are many and varied opinions in Illinois on how to prevent traffic accidents. Almost everyone at one time or another is a pedestrian. Considering the advancements in motor vehicles, the increase in speed limits in some states, including Illinois, it is the pedestrian fatalities that are rising rather than other vehicular crashes. In 2011 for example, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that of the few types of motor vehicle fatality rates that rose, pedestrians were one of them. There were 4,432 pedestrian deaths in 2011 which was increase from the prior year. In that same year, NHTSA counted 69,000 pedestrian injuries by contact with a motor vehicle of some kind.

NHTSA has published recommendations for Pedestrian Safety in its Highway Safety Program Guideline No. 14 on which includes suggestion for pedestrian and bicycle safety. The suggestive guidelines are for the states to initiate. Illinois already has many of these in place Here are some of those suggestions:

Train program staff to effectively coordinate the implementation of recommended activities;

Provide leadership, training, and technical assistance to other State agencies and local pedestrian and bicycle safety programs and projects;

Conduct regular problem identification and evaluation activities to determine pedestrian and bicyclist fatality, injury, and crash trends and to provide guidance in development and implementation of countermeasures;

Promote proper and legal riding practices and the proper use of bicycle helmets as primary measures to reduce death and injury among bicyclists;

Coordinate with the State Department of Transportation to ensure provision of a safe environment for pedestrians and bicyclists through engineering measures such as sidewalks and bicycle facilities in the planning and design of all highway projects;

Support the enforcement by local enforcement agencies of State laws affecting pedestrians and bicyclists; and

Develop safety initiatives to reduce fatalities and injuries among high-risk groups as indicated by crash and injury data trends, including children, older adults, and alcohol-impaired pedestrians and bicyclists.

Car accidents involving pedestrians can be devastating. If you are a loved one has been injured in a car accident involving a pedestrian, call Kreisman Law Offices for an immediate free consultation. Pedestrians struck by a moving motor vehicle can suffer broken bones, internal bleeding, head injuries and other life-threatening medical issues. Broken glass is a common feature of a pedestrian being struck by a motor vehicle. The pedestrian can suffer facial and other skin wounds because of broken safety glass. There are many causes for car accidents involving pedestrians, but the most common of these include:

Intoxication by a motorist;

Running a red light or stop light;

Striking a pedestrian in the crosswalk where the pedestrian has the right-of-way;

Motorists who are distracted such as those driving while texting or talking on cell phones;

Illegally parked cars making it difficult for pedestrians to be seen by oncoming traffic;

Pedestrians not being seen because of darkness, poor lighting or weather conditions.

Whatever the cause of a car accident involving a pedestrian who is injured, the injured party may be entitled to full compensation for his or her injuries, lost time from work, pain and suffering and loss of normal life.

Robert Kreisman of Kreisman Law Offices has been handling Chicago and Illinois pedestrian injury cases for more than 40 years.

Kreisman Law Offices has prevailed in trials and settlements in Chicago, Illinois and surrounding areas and successfully resolved cases for severely injured clients for over these many years.

Please call us 24 hours a day at 312.346.0045 or toll free 800.583.8002 for a free and immediate consultation, or complete a contact form online. There is no charge for a consultation that will include an evaluation of your case, assessment of your damages such as lost income, lost wages, medical and hospital bills, past and future pain and suffering, loss of normal life and wrongful death.

“We were devastated when our 31 year-old son was killed by a negligent driver. Kreisman Law Offices did everything to help us through this very difficult time, including coming out to the house several times which was a comfort. My wife and I were extremely pleased with Mr. Kreisman’s compassion and care for this very tragic and troubling time.” C.B.

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“Bob Kreisman did everything possible in handling the trial of this case. It was devastating that I traumatically lost my leg above the knee in this truck accident. However, it was not an easy case to win. His staff was so prepared for the trial that it was not surprising that the settlement offers continued to rise until we finally accepted the multi-million settlement while the jury was still deciding the case. My wife and I were delighted that we could secure our future with this settlement. We thank Mr. Kreisman and his incredible staff for working so hard for our benefit.” T.P.

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“My mother died because doctors dropped the ball. I called Robert Kreisman and he immediately set up an appointment for my entire family. We met at his offices and I was very comfortable that he would do the best for my dad and my brothers. He spent hours with all of us in preparing for depositions and he hired top notch experts, all of which contributed to an incredible settlement before trial. I know that he is dedicated to his cases and particularly to the people he works for and the people who work with him. He continues to be generous in contributing annually to my mother’s memory and to make known to the public the signs and symptoms of brain tumors.” V.S.

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We serve the following localities: Cook County including Arlington Heights, Barrington, Berwyn Township, Chicago, Des Plaines, Glenview, Orland Park, Palos Park, Schaumburg, and Tinley Park; DuPage County including Downers Grove, Naperville, and Bolingbrook; Kane County including Aurora, Elgin and Geneva; Lake County including Waukegan; and Will County including Joliet.View More